Page 8 - E&L_Advertiser_090720

8 Thursday July 9, 2020 Eskdale & Liddesdale Advertiser
Bob: a Langholm luminary
Robert McLure
(1951-2020)
BOB, or Bobby as he’s He was an extremely talented
known by his family, was painter and this was something
born in Wigtownshire in he enjoyed right up until the
1951. end.
He grew up in Glen Luce Most recently, his family and
and New Luce and, after at- friends enjoyed his posts of a
tending Stranraer High School, painting a day on Facebook
went to Glasgow University during lockdown.
to study mathematics in 1969. Bobby learned to play bridge
After graduation, he trained at university and this was a
as a maths teacher at Jordanhill pastime he rekindled during
College, which is where he his retirement, playing at
met Nancy who was a cousin Carlisle, Annan and Langholm
of one of his university friends. bridge clubs.
They were soon married and Card games were a big part
in July 1974 they moved to of McLure family life and
Langholm and were blessed Nancy, Andrew and Rosemary
with the birth of Andrew in have many happy memories
1974 and Rosemary in 1976. of playing cards on camping
Bobby taught at Langholm holidays.
Academy for 10 years before Bobby loved the outdoors
moving to Annan Academy and spent many happy hours
where he was principal teacher in the garden and at his and
of mathematics for 23 years. Nancy’s allotment.
He and Nancy retired in 2007 He loved hill-walking and Bob and Nancy with grandchildren Tom and Rachel
and they’ve been lucky to enjoyed many holidays with
spend many very happy years the Carlisle Walkers. Andrew
together, dedicating their time and Rosemary remember being
to their family, pastimes, hob- cajoled into many wet and
bies and travelling. long walks in the Lake District
Theatre during their youth.
Bob was very community-
Bobby loved music and
theatre from a young age and minded and he enjoyed being
involved with the Buccleuch
this was his true passion. Centre in Langholm.
He was an avid theatre-goer He attended a wide range of
as well as being a contributing concerts and events and
musician, actor and director. became chairman of the man-
Highlights included starring agement committee for three
roles in My Fair Lady and years.
Oliver! in Langholm; appear-
ing at the Edinburgh Fringe Faith
Festival and, most recently, He had a strong faith and
as director of numerous plays was an active member of
and musicals for Langholm Langholm Parish Church as Bob with Alan Weatherstone, Marion Rodger and Nicole Weatherstone Of the moment I’ll cease to be We justify this, or certainly I of those who watched it who was coozeen Kenny Turk taking part prize of a meal voucher which
Amateur Operatic and an elder and choir member as
Dramatic Society. well as being part of the wor-
He was also a member of ship team.
Langholm Flute Band and an Nancy, Andrew and
accomplished singer and Rosemary have received so
speaker at events and concerts. many cards and messages in
He did an extremely good recent days and they have all
Rev I M Jolly. Bobby’s chil- commented on Bob’s kindness,
dren are grateful to him for great friendship and that, above
making music and theatre part all, he was a true gentleman.
of their lives from a young Bob had a multitude of
age, with trips to Edinburgh friends, young and old, near
or Glasgow to see musicals and far. He will be much
and the ballet and opportunities missed.
to raid his record collection, Last but not least, Bobby
prompting their love of the was a family man. He was a
The Beatles and Elton John. wonderful husband to Nancy,
Art was another of Bob’s an amazing dad to Andrew
passions. Once he retired, he and Rosemary and a very spe-
took up painting and enjoyed cial grandpa to Tom and
being part of the art club in Rachel. They will all miss him Bob as Professor Higgins with Maureen Borthwick as Eliza in
Langholm. very much.
www.eladvertiser.co.uk
Bob and Nancy enjoy Langholm Common Riding
with grandchildren Tom and Rachel
Bob’s daughter, Rosemary, recited
this poem at his funeral
. By the time we weighed in on go”, please read all the reports
When I have fears
by Noel Coward
When I have fears, as Keats had fears,
in LAODS’ ‘Me and My Girl’ in 1997
I console myself with vanished years
Remembered laughter, remembered tears,
And the peace of the changing sea.
When I feel sad, as Keats felt sad
That my life is so nearly done
It gives me comfort to dwell upon
Remembered friends who are dead and gone
And the jokes we had and the fun.
How happy they are I cannot know,
But happy am I who loved them so.
the 1989 production of My Fair Lady
www.eladvertiser.co.uk Eskdale & Liddesdale Advertiser Thursday July 9, 2020 9
A mahoosive reduction!
Teamwork can
make a dream work
THE women’s team consisted both get a Douglas Hotel meal
of Sarah Cutteridge, Vicky voucher.
Grieve, Kirsty Scott, Annette The men’s winner was Paul
Steadman, Pamela Stewart, Mitchell who has had to buy a
Lara Porter, Anita Hogg, new belt to haud up his breeks,
Donna Borthwick, Judith Scott, having lost over a whopping three
Fiona Patterson, Fiona Grant, and a half stone.
Fiona Bell, Eileen Longworth The women’s winner was Kirsty
and Claire Richards-Dean. Scott with an amazing effort of
The men were myself, Allan just under two stones.
There were some other really
McVittie, Alan Wilson, Thomas significant weight losses within
Dobbie, Lloyd Kingstree, Paul
Mitchell, Keith Scott, Kenny the teams but, because this was
Turk, James McVittie, Michael a team effort, it should be pointed
Hogg and Gordon Stewart. out that everyone who took part
At the final weigh-in the teams lost weight and raised some real
had lost 28 stones and 8lbs, which money for this worthwhile charity
is a phenomenal effort in anyone’s so well done every one of you.
book. Myself? I lost one and a half
This was correctly guessed by stone. I am happy with that but
Doris Mitchell and Sharon it’s still too heavy for horse riding
Broganof Hawick, who both so it’s going to be a long winter
as I prepare for next year.
guessed bang on the money and
L to R: Paul Mitchell, Kirsty Scott, David McVittie, Gordon Stewart and Pamela Stewart
DAVID McVittie writes: LIKE most of the country, if not and was inundated with fellow for snacks; that sort of thing.
the world, awoke on January 2 this year filled with my festive feeders who wanted to join There is a science behind it all
usual annual enthusiasm for losing weight, coming, as it in and help raise money for this and if you are thinking “That
sounds good, I might give it a
worthwhile cause.
usually does, after a fortnight of sheer gluttony.
A fortnight when, because it is horses, I thought it best to start Monday, January 6 we had two on it before trying it.
Christmas, we think nothing of now and chip (who mentioned teams: male and female, consisting I found I was getting some ter-
having mince pies with full fat chips) chip away at it for the next of 25 members. rific results with this diet and,
cream for breakfast, washed down 20 months. International judging by the results coming in
with a fizzy drink or, for the more With the decision made, I cast It was a truly international affair each week, everyone else had
outrageous, a beer and thus kick- my mind back to the 2019 Sport with my coozeen Allan McVittie found a diet which suited them,
too.
start yet another day when we Personality of the Year awards taking part in Picklescott, Together with the weight loss
feel we are justified in eating the which had been on TV a few Yorkshire, my auld pal Judith we ran a competition to guess
weekly calorific equivalent of a
small village in north Wales. days earlier. Scott doing her bit in Australia, the combined weight loss with a
There can be very few, if any,
do, by telling ourselves things not deeply touched by the plight in Spain and my auld freend Keith was very kindly donated by Jason
like “It’s Christmas” or “I’ll get of ex-Scotland and British Lion Scott taking part throu’ the tunnel Brockley of the Douglas Hotel.
We had a prize for the most
rid of this in the New Year” or rugby player Doddie Weir who in Hawick. weight lost by both male and
“the diet starts tomorrow”. was awarded the Helen Rollason There were no set rules on how female dieters and this was a meal
Inevitably, the weeks wear on award. we had to lose the weight. It was voucher for the Crown Hotel,
and before we know it, instead of Inspiration entirely up to the individual but kindly donated by Hayley
we did have weigh-ins each week
having a beach body, we have a The determination and courage to keep an eye on progress. Evenden.
beach-ball body and console our- he has shown in the face of such The final weigh-in was on May There was, of course, some
selves with the thought that,
although we may be dragged out adversity by standing up and 1, giving us all four months to good-natured competition between
to the open ocean by Greenpeace refusing to give in to Motor shed the pounds. the teams but ultimately our col-
lective aim was to lose weight
if we sunbathe, at least we won’t Neuron Disease has been an in- So, putting aside all the excuses and raise some money for the
freeze during the winter. spiration to us all and his continued of “I’m big boned”, “I carry it MND charity and this we did.
This year, however, was differ- fundraising for a truly horrible weel” etc, I opted for the Keto At the time of writing this the
ent. This year I decided I had to illness has been awe-inspiring. Diet. Just Giving page is currently
make a start on getting down my It had been in my mind to get This is where you use fat as sitting at £3,485 and is still open
weight. sponsored for the weight loss your energy source instead of car- to anyone who would like to
This is because of a number of because this would encourage me bohydrate and eventually the body donate.
starts to burn fat instead of storing
It is under the heading Muckle
to do it and raise money for a
factors. Health benefits aside, good cause so why not Doddie it. Weight Loss Challenge and the
it is my intention to ride the Weir’s charity My Name’5 This means you have a fat-rich link is
Common Riding next year and,
as far as I am aware, no one is Doddie? diet and was right up my street as
hiring out elephants. I floated the idea on that great it meant having fry-ups for break- https://www.justgiving.com/fund
So, with a weight limit on hired public service channel Facebook fast, cream in my coffee and salami raising/bigweightloss Doddie Weir’s Foundation will benefit from the sponsorship money